Viewpoint: Johnson and Johnson’s Tylenol crisis #2: How RFK, Jr. deceived the company and health experts

Screenshot 2025-09-28 at 7.14.47 PM

Tylenol set the gold standard for corporate crisis management in 1982 after people died from taking its pain medication that had been tampered with and laced with cyanide.

The stakes this time may be even higher.

In the meeting with Kennedy, [CEO Kirk] Perry and Kenvue’s chief scientific officer, Caroline Tillett, made their case that there was no clear evidence linking autism and acetaminophen ….

Kennedy agreed that there weren’t safe alternatives …. He discussed doing additional research, and asked that the executives set up follow-up meetings ….

Follow the latest news and policy debates on sustainable agriculture, biomedicine, and other ‘disruptive’ innovations. Subscribe to our newsletter.

But days later, Kennedy texted Perry the link to a Substack written by Sayer Ji, the founder of an alternative-health information platform called GreenMedInfo who has spoken at events alongside prominent members of Kennedy’s Make America Healthy Again movement. Ji has contended that vaccinations, prenatal ultrasounds and “stressors” from cesarean sections are among other factors that can increase autism risk.

Trump started to tee up his autism announcement a few days later, announcing on Friday, Sept. 19, that he was planning to hold a press conference. …  Trump promised a Monday announcement about “an answer to autism.”

This is an excerpt. Read the original post here

{{ reviewsTotal }}{{ options.labels.singularReviewCountLabel }}
{{ reviewsTotal }}{{ options.labels.pluralReviewCountLabel }}
{{ options.labels.noReviewsLabel }}
{{ options.labels.newReviewButton }}
{{ userData.canReview.message }}

Related Articles

Infographic: Global regulatory and health research agencies on whether glyphosate causes cancer

Infographic: Global regulatory and health research agencies on whether glyphosate causes cancer

Does glyphosate—the world's most heavily-used herbicide—pose serious harm to humans? Is it carcinogenic? Those issues are of both legal and ...

Most Popular

Screenshot-2026-07-30-at-3.07.42-PM
Controversy over WNBA star Sophie Cunningham’s comment opposing trans females in women’s sports reinvigorates the culture wars
Picture1
Hiroshima at 81: America’s new nuclear bomb, a buried Iranian target, and a question no one wants to ask
ChatGPT-Image-Mar-10-2026-01_39_01-PM
Viewpoint—“Miracle molecule” debunked: Why acemannan supplements don’t work
leeteam
How Kennedy and his family could pocket millions from Merck’s $50 million vaccine injury settlement that he oversaw
ChatGPT-Image-Jul-10-2026-12_21_03-PM
Viewpoint: Is there new evidence that the animal deworming drug ivermectin decreases the risk of Covid and cancer? Don’t waste your money.
Screenshot-2026-07-30-at-2.30.35-PM
Climate scientists claim conservative activists are promoting ‘lies’ that Europe’s summer heatwaves are far from unusual
ChatGPT Image Jul 29, 2026, 05_50_04 PM
Fear, science, and the law: If talc powder is unlikely to cause cancer and J&J was winning in court, why did it pay more than $5.5 billion to settle?
Screenshot-2026-07-09-at-1.09.25-PM
Anti-vaccine myths rattle health care
ChatGPT Image Jul 29, 2026, 06_26_01 PM 2
Facts & Fallacies podcast: Organic food myths make a comeback on Instagram, with Dr. Kevin Folta
ChatGPT Image Jul 29, 2026, 10_14_27 PM
After muzzling RFK, Jr. over autism-vaccine conspiracy theories, Trump defies aides to push scares again
ChatGPT Image Jul 29, 2026, 12_05_21 PM
AI-generated physicians promoting bogus cures and worthless supplements surge on social media
Screenshot 2026-07-22 at 1.38
Viewpoint: Are the U.S. and Europe headed towards a repudiation of agricultural biotechnology red tape?
Screenshot 2026-07-29 at 1.03
Two food fads that have some merit: Chia seeds in almost everything and protein added to water
glp menu logo outlined

Get news on human & agricultural genetics and biotechnology delivered to your inbox.